Screen Time vs Family Link: Best Parental Controls 2026
Apple Screen Time vs Google Family Link: we compare setup, limits, app controls, filters and location to help you pick the best free parental controls in 2026.
Drafted with an AI writing assistant and checked against its sources by the editor before publishing. How we use AI.
For iPhone families, Apple Screen Time is the best choice because it is built in and free; for Android and Chromebook families, Google Family Link wins. Both are free, so pick the one made for the devices your family already uses.
In a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, 95% of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 said they had access to a smartphone, and 46% said they were online "almost constantly." So which free parental control tool works best? The two best answers are Apple's Screen Time and Google's Family Link. Both are free, but they are built for different families.
What each tool actually is
Apple Screen Time is built into every iPhone, iPad, and Mac. There is nothing to install and nothing to pay for. You manage it through Family Sharing, with your child on their own Child Apple Account. Apple explains that a parent can set up content restrictions, downtime, and app limits, and turn on Ask to Buy so children need approval for purchases and downloads. See Apple Support.
Google Family Link is a free app from Google. You install it on your phone, and your child signs in with a supervised Google Account on their Android phone, tablet, or Chromebook. One dashboard covers time limits, app approvals, filters, and location. See Google Play.
The core difference is simple. Screen Time is part of the Apple system; Family Link is an app that manages a Google account. iPhone family? Screen Time. Android or Chromebook child? Family Link.
Setup: which one is easier?
Screen Time setup starts in Settings, under Family: add your child, create their Child Apple Account, then set a passcode to lock the settings.
Family Link setup takes about ten minutes: install the app, create or link your child's supervised Google Account, and follow the steps.
Neither setup is hard. Screen Time cannot be deleted, because it is built in. Family Link's strength is flexibility: the parent app runs on iPhone or Android.
Screen-time limits
Both tools set daily limits, but package them differently. Screen Time gives you Downtime, which blocks apps and notifications during hours you choose, and App Limits, which cap time per app or category. You can mark apps as Always Allowed so Phone, Messages, and Maps keep working.
Family Link gives you daily limits, a bedtime schedule, and a school time schedule for class hours. You can set limits per app, give unlimited time to educational apps, and set different limits for weekdays and weekends.
Before you pick a number, check what doctors suggest by age in our guide to screen time rules by age. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises about one hour a day of high-quality programming for ages 2 to 5, and consistent family limits for older children.
App controls and purchases
A child who can install anything can undo every other rule in minutes. With Screen Time, children under 13 have Ask to Buy switched on automatically, so every purchase and download needs your approval. You can also set an app age rating, such as 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+, or 18+.
With Family Link, you can require approval before any new app is downloaded from Google Play, block apps, and manage permissions. Google notes approvals only apply to Google Play billing, not to other billing systems inside apps.
Screen Time edges ahead for younger children because Ask to Buy is automatic; Family Link edges ahead for parents who want to approve every download by hand.
Content filters
Screen Time lets you limit adult websites in Safari, set content ratings for apps, books, TV shows, and movies, and switch on Communication Safety, which warns children about sensitive images in Messages.
Family Link manages filters across Google services: Chrome, Google Search, Google Play, and YouTube. The catch is that the web filters apply in Chrome. If your child opens another browser or an in-app browser inside TikTok, those filters do not apply.
Neither tool can filter YouTube channel by channel. Screen Time can block YouTube or allow it, nothing in between. Family Link can set YouTube's restricted mode, but it cannot approve one channel and block another.
Location tracking
Location is built in: see your child's device on one map, get arrival and departure alerts, ring the device, and check its battery level.
Screen Time has no location feature of its own. Location comes from the Find My app, which is part of Family Sharing. It works well, but it is a separate app to open.
Age fit: what happens when your child turns 13?
Both tools are built around supervised accounts for children under 13, and both get weaker as children grow up, by design. With Apple, a Child Apple Account is for under-13s, while teenagers ages 13 to 17 can have their own account with Screen Time still managed by a parent.
With Google, Family Link is built for supervised Google Accounts for under-13s. Once a child turns 13, they can take over their account and remove supervision. Google is clear that Family Link "does not make the internet safe."
Both tools are training wheels, not a cage. The AAP's updated 2026 guidance moves away from strict hour-counting for school-age children and toward quality, context, and conversation, with a family media plan agreed together. Read the summary of the AAP 2026 screen time guidance and build your plan with your child, not just around them. Controls alone are not enough: as we explain in our daily post, parental controls alone do not keep kids safe online.
Costs
Both are completely free. Screen Time is included with iOS, iPadOS, and macOS; Family Link is a free download with no subscription. Many third-party apps charge $5 to $15 a month for the same features.
The comparison table
| Feature | Apple Screen Time | Google Family Link |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, built into iOS and macOS | Free app, no subscription |
| Child device | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Android phone/tablet, Chromebook |
| Parent device | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Android or iPhone |
| Setup | Family Sharing | Family Link app |
| Daily time limits | Yes, per app and per category | Yes, per device and per app |
| Bedtime and school schedules | Downtime schedule | Bedtime and school time schedules |
| App approvals | Ask to Buy, automatic under 13 | Require approval for Play downloads |
| Content filters | Safari limits, age ratings | Chrome, Play, YouTube filters |
| Location | Via Find My | Built in, with alerts |
| Works until age | Continues for ages 13-17 | Removable at 13 |
| Weak spot | No built-in location | Web filters only work in Chrome |
Which should you choose?
Pick by the device your child already uses. Choose Apple Screen Time if your child has an iPhone or iPad: it is built in, it cannot be deleted, Ask to Buy is automatic for under-13 accounts, and its limits are precise.
Choose Google Family Link if your child has an Android phone or a Chromebook: it fully manages those devices, has the best built-in location tracking, and its school time schedule is genuinely useful. See this Family Link guide and this Family Link explainer.
If your household is mixed, use both: Screen Time on the Apple devices, Family Link on the Android ones. Whichever you pick, set it up together with your child, explain what each limit is for, and revisit the rules every few months. A five-minute conversation does more than any filter ever will. For a fuller picture of Family Link in daily use, see this Family Link guide for 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Are Apple Screen Time and Google Family Link really free?
Yes. Screen Time is included with every iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and Family Link is a free download from Google with no subscription.
Can I use Google Family Link if I have an iPhone?
Yes, as a parent: the Family Link parent app runs on iPhone and Android. But the child's device needs to be Android or a Chromebook for full supervision, so iPhone families should use Screen Time.
Can my child turn off Screen Time?
Not easily. With a Child Apple Account in Family Sharing, the settings are protected by a passcode only the parent knows. Keep the software updated, since bypasses have appeared over the years.
Does Family Link show me what my child does online?
Only in part: you can see screen time per app and which apps are installed, but not which websites your child visited.
What age should I start using parental controls?
As soon as your child gets their own device. Set up the controls before you hand it over, keep screens out of bedrooms at night, and switch screens off at least an hour before bed. The AAP suggests about one hour a day of high-quality programming for ages 2 to 5.